Who am I – Start The Day

“In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw the Lord seated on a high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the temple. ²Seraphs stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and they used the remaining two to fly. ³They called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! His majestic splendour fills the entire earth!” ⁴The sound of their voices shook the door frames, and the temple was filled with smoke. ⁵I said, “Woe to me! I am destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin. My eyes have seen the king, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”⁶But then one of the seraphs flew toward me. In his hand was a hot coal he had taken from the altar with tongs. ⁷He touched my mouth with it and said, “Look, this coal has touched your lips. Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven.” ⁸I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?” I answered, “Here I am, send me!”” Isaiah 6:1-8 NET

Lord God,

I do not know whether this was a vision, a dream or reality! But I do know it was not just an impression It was three dimensional and so detailed as if reality! So real it terrified Isaiah. Angels voices shaking the ginormous stone door frames of the Temple. I would have been cowered in a corner with my hands over my head or in a faint . . .

Isaiah knew he was a sinner, as we know we are, if we are honest. Good as we may seem, hard as we may try we are not all good. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:15, thank God for His indescribable gift! Speaking of Jesus and His forgiveness. But Isaiah did not know Jesus. A seraph flew over and touched Isaiah’s lips with a hot coal from the altar, the place where sacrifices for sin were made to God. It purified and changed him from a trembling penitent to a confident servant. And no burnt lips, thank you Lord. We need Your Holy Spirit to touch us, live in us, to burn up our sin, reassure us and give us confidence in You.

Not because of anything we have done but because of Your sacrifice. So touch us afresh Lord today.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Suggestions for prayer . . .
Lord God,

For our close family. Your love showing the way.
For our extended family, friends, neighbours.
For our fellowship, ministers and congregations.
For You to touch Your church people again to revive and refresh.
Those we have been asked to pray for by church or friends.
For our king and all those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2). Royal reconciliations.
For Parliament and the upholding of all that is good and right.
For those still flooded and those dreading more rain.
For Ukraine and Russia.
For Gaza, all around the Middle East. Lord only You can bring about a desire to end hostilities.
For churches across the world where Your Spirit is moving and there is growth and new believers.
For us to know Your Holy Spirits presence to keep us rejoicing, generous, kind and longsuffering with patience.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 28th September 2024
Love this song – what moved John Mark Hall to write it is under the lyrics below.

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
You’ve told me who I am
I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
You’ve told me who I am
I am Yours

I am Yours
I’m all Yours
Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear?
‘Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Lyric: John Mark Hall

According to Casting Crowns lead singer Mark Hall the idea for “Who Am I” came while he was driving home with his wife and children one night. Hall, who was having personal worship time during the drive, recounts that he wondered “Who am I to think I can just call up to God whenever I want, from the middle of nowhere, and expect Him to hear me?” Hall says “immediately I started thinking I’m a new creation, I’m more than a conqueror… I’m [also] grass, that is rises up and is gone in a day”. In an interview, he commented that “me being a conqueror is true, but at the same time I need to understand that my life is a vapor, and me being able to even pray to God is because of what he’s done for me”

“But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. ²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something.” 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 NET

God only wise,

Thank you for those days when all is going well and we feel good and, may even have achieved something to make us feel good. Other days we drop a cup or forget something and we give ourselves a telling off or are disappointed in ourselves. We are all different! Some of us beat ourselves up more than we should. Some can still hear our parents criticism!. Some can feel good about themselves. Others can be full of positivity and forgive themselves easily!

You bring us all down to earth together, not to remind us of our abilities and disabilities. Not to say who is right and who is wrong. But to remind us we are all chosen. Chosen because we are wanted and loved just as we are and not for what we can do. And our wisdom is foolishness when measured next to Yours. But You, God choose us to put Your love within us so we can love ourselves and have abundant love others. And its a life times journey to understand the depth of Your love for us (Ephesians 3:18).

You choose the low the despised? Well, the arrogant do not need You God, the self satisfied do not need You either! Paul lived under Romans occupation. He knew what it was to be of no value in his own land. Slaves, women had no rights. Some would say for some not much has change. We are all under some authority. But regardless of who You are and what you think of yourself this Scripture says You God choose us to confound the mighty with our faith. You give us Your wisdom to shame the wise.

Thank You for choosing us, loving us, sending Christ. Keep our hearts open to do Your will.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Suggestions for prayer . . .
God only wise,

For our family and friends. Light their way ahead whatever they are going through.
For our church, Ministers, lay leaders, members. Thank You for each other.
For the royal family. Continuing help and healing.
For our Parliament. For local elections.
For Ukraine, peace. A supernatural end to war. We look to You.
For Gaza, a way to live with neighbours, together in peace.
For Sudan, Myanmar, all other places of conflict and Military oppression.
For our local: police, hospitals, doctors, justice system, fire service . . .
For the Christians in countries where there is persecution, famine and poverty.
For the agencies providing medical treatment and aid in war zones.
We thank You for all the colours of the season. Cherry blossom, tulips, lighter skies and evenings.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Monday 29th April 2024
If you are not familiar with the music or it is not your taste, I hope you find the words reassuring.

The idea for “Who Am I” came to Mark while he was driving home with his wife and children one night. He was having a personal worship time during the drive and recounts that he wondered “Who am I to think I can just call up to God whenever I want, from the middle of nowhere, and expect Him to hear me?” Immediately he started thinking, “I’m a new creation, I’m more than a conqueror… I’m [also] grass, that is rises up and is gone in a day”.